Narrowboat Hire

[LiftyK]

I’m on a canal narrow boat holiday as I write. 67’ vs. sailing in a 27’ boat. It’s great.

How long are you going for? You don’t have to do an out and back, you can do a loop. For shorter periods, four days or so, consider the Worcester-Droitwich ring. For two weeks, do the Avon ring. E.g. Rugby to Kingswood junction, up to Warwick, Kings Norton, famous Tardebigge lock flight, Droitwich canal, down River Severn, then into and up River Avon (really pretty), enjoy Stratford Upon Avon Basin, then back up Avon canal to Kingswood then back to Rugby. Kingfisher, herons and pubs everywhere and you can pretty much park anywhere For free. Water points are reasonably frequent and the loo tanks will last a week before a pump out is needed.

Hiring experience:

Black Prince holidays. Situated ideally for either the small or large rung. Very pro setup and superbly fitted out boats. Luxury.

Clifton Cruisers. Less costly but still very comfortable and with rapid assistance if you need it.

I must mention Stratford Upon Avon. We stayed for two nights in the atmospheric basin. Free of charge. How different from the Solent.

Tips:
1. On your phone or tablet, download the free and wonderful “open canal map”. It shows canals, locks, bridges, water points, shops and more.
2. if you enjoy fishing, get a license and bring your gear. Mackerel apart, I never catch anything at sea. Last ho,I day we caught several fish in the canals.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Hi we have done a few Norfolk Broad holiday hires in past years , really enjoyed them all ; but the short stay in Norwich was really not pleasent at all , sewerage floating all around the boat ; has that changed now ?

 

[johnalison]

I had no idea that prices had risen so much. In the '60s it was £7 10/- per week for a 2-berth sailing boat and £10 for a motor-boat.

 

[The Q]

Hi we have done a few Norfolk Broad holiday hires in past years , really enjoyed them all ; but the short stay in Norwich was really not pleasent at all , sewerage floating all around the boat ; has that changed now ?

If it's in the normal season ie summer, it's highly unlike that will happen, the main sewage works is a couple of miles down river at Whitlingham and they've spent millions upgrading the site.. You might smell it if the wind is in the wrong direction as you go past..

However if there is a major storm, that part of the city is old so the rainwater goes into the sewage system and one of the overflows is almost immediately opposite Norwich Yacht station..

 

[LiftyK]

By the way, some things I learned:
- the River Avon (that goes from the Severn to Stratford, not the canal that goes North from Stratford to the Grand Union canal) can become tricky when rainfall causes the river level to rise. It may not be suitable for a rainy October
- in river locks, it is necessary to use bow and stern lines to secure the boat. The lines provided with your narrow boat for mooring will likely not be long enough for river locks. Take your own long line with you and then double up the provided lines to make two long lines. Sorted.
- hire boats are usually not equipped with fenders. Apparently, if you had some, you should bring them on board before entering a lock, else they’ll be ripped off and may jam a lock sluice. It’s a bit weird for yotties not to use fenders but that’s how it’s done here. No problem in the locks without fenders but when moored against brick or steel the boat can bash a bit and disturb the peace. Either smuggle onboard cord plus a couple of mini fenders or use empty milk containers. Regular canal fenders are skinny tubes of solid rubber.
- be aware that onboard inverters provide mains electricity only when the engine is running. Do take USB power packs to charge when the engine is running.
- Crocs are brilliant for lock work If they get muddy, you can wash them easily. They’re also easy to slip on and off as you enter and exit the boat

 

[mjcoon]

...
- Crocs are brilliant for lock work If they get muddy, you can wash them easily. They’re also easy to slip on and off as you enter and exit the boat

Could have done with them last year on the Broads. We tied up to a pontoon that was reserved for raising or lowering your mast (which was what we were there for). So it did not have land access. Which meant that that pontoon was much used by local ducks for defecating on...

 

[Capt Popeye]

A new 40ft Broads hire craft will cost probably £300,000 to buy, over a 30 year life that's 10 grand a year to make.. Actually that's over 26 weeks season per year. Broads tax for that boat would be £600 ish per year. The mooring charges (yes I know they often own their own yards) but it still costs.. maybe £1000 a year.. (that would be 50% to 100% more if you are a private boat owner in a yard)
then you need cleaning, laundry, maintenance , antifouling, insurance.. the yard buildings and staff
so probably £15,000 a year if not more.. before the boat is used...
15,000/ 26 weeks a year season and you're heading for £600 add the tax man wanting his 25% and that's £750.. Add another £50 for fuel
£800 per week.....

Cripes fella , £300,000 for a Hire boat , new , understood that the Hire boats of yesteryear were GRP strengthened standard craft , not looking for a Glitzy craft , just reasonable charges , sturdy , good bunks , chrome fitting is fine , no need for varnished decking etc , easy to wash down decking and topsides is all a hire would like ; so guess that your figure of £300,00 is in reality more like £30.00 tops for an original purchase
So that make a much more realistic opperating cost to bear

 

[Gixer]

We are looking at going for a maximum of a week. I like the idea of a loop if possible, great information Lifty.
The Black Prince setup looks really nice.
Thanks again all

 

[The Q]

Cripes fella , £300,000 for a Hire boat , new , understood that the Hire boats of yesteryear were GRP strengthened standard craft , not looking for a Glitzy craft , just reasonable charges , sturdy , good bunks , chrome fitting is fine , no need for varnished decking etc , easy to wash down decking and topsides is all a hire would like ; so guess that your figure of £300,00 is in reality more like £30.00 tops for an original purchase
So that make a much more realistic opperating cost to bear

Unfortunately there are no old type boats being built.. The new hirers want multiple toilets and showers, generators to run their hair curlers, central heating, Televisions, wifi etc,etc,etc,
This ones from Richardsons one of the biggest yards...

 

[Capt Popeye]

Unfortunately there are no old type boats being built.. The new hirers want multiple toilets and showers, generators to run their hair curlers, central heating, Televisions, wifi etc,etc,etc,
This ones from Richardsons one of the biggest yards...
View attachment 143350

Cripes what an ugly item , refuse to call it a boat , as it does not look like a boat at all

Guess that if you are right Mr Q its what the present Norfolk hire want , then I guess its good bye to the Broads being a boating base for many

 

[The Q]

Cripes what an ugly item , refuse to call it a boat , as it does not look like a boat at all

Guess that if you are right Mr Q its what the present Norfolk hire want , then I guess its good bye to the Broads being a boating base for many

yep ugly.. But as I spend most of my time sailing in circles, they are just a big barge to avoid on the river..

If you want something more traditional to hire go to Martham Boats..
Traditional old wooden hire boats and sailing boats..
Martham Boats | Norfolk Broads Boating, Cruiser & Sailing Holidays
They also have halfdeckers for hire if you are just there for a day visit..

 

[mjcoon]

yep ugly.. But as I spend most of my time sailing in circles, they are just a big barge to avoid on the river..

If you want something more traditional to hire go to Martham Boats..
Traditional old wooden hire boats and sailing boats..
Martham Boats | Norfolk Broads Boating, Cruiser & Sailing Holidays
They also have halfdeckers for hire if you are just there for a day visit..

We got ours (twice) last year from Eastwood Whelpton | Sailing On The Norfolk Broads (eastwood-whelpton.co.uk) . My skipper has been hiring from them for decades and many of their yachts were built by them even further back.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I have a hazy memory of a thames cruise one university holiday. Sorry not to contribute more, I just can’t quite recall the details, except that canals and rivers have a lot of pubs on their banks.

 

[PhillM]

Oh can highly recommend a canal boat. Such great fun but choose a circuit with lots of pubs,(well if you want to eat out) and avoid too many locks, they become a pain. I would also recommend the Norfolk Broads, again great for pubs. had so many trips over the years. dont fall in though, its not nice.
Steveeasy

We had our summer holidays on the canals for a few years. Contrary to your suggestion to aviod locks, we did the Cairn Hill flight a few times. Mind you we have 5 teenagers with us (and 2 Alsatians as it happens) to keep occupied. I also took my Cobb so we could easily BBQ in the evenings.

 

[LiftyK]

Locks are fun. We did Hatton Locks, 21 in a row, and Tardebigge, 25 in a row, and really enjoyed them and the camaraderie of meeting others venturing up and down.

 

[neilf39]

Wyvern Shipping Co in Leighton Buzzard are on the Grand Union. We used them many years ago. Headed North.

 

[fisherman]

Hired from Anglo Welsh, at Tardebigge. 58ft twin berth. From there you can go to Stratford and back in a week, with not too many locks, or complete the circuit doing the long flight SW of Tardebigge. Touches on the GU at Kingswood. Up into Brum if you like.
The boat was excellent, quiet, all mod cons, good kitchen, fridge, freezer, stove. Looking forward to going again. Further north is cheaper, south more expensive.